Learning about Bokeh - - Junco Photo

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II

01/18/2005 08:33:11 PM · #1

Well even though it's too late to enter in the BOKEH Challenge,I am pleased with this shot that I took this afternoon at home. From my point of view, this just indicates how the DPC challenges are such a learning opportunity, even when I don't do well in the challenges. I only cropped, resized, adjusted levels and added the border. Anyone else have bird photos to share?

Edited to add another version with a closer crop and a bit of USM:

(Version II)

Message edited by author 2005-01-18 22:04:16.

Dim7

Canon EOS R

01/18/2005 08:37:10 PM · #2

I like taking bird pics, One day I will get a better than $100 lens to do so! LOL

Message edited by author 2005-01-18 20:52:40.

Discraft

Canon EOS-20D

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC for Canon

01/18/2005 08:48:15 PM · #3

see my PAD my first entrie was a bird picture which was taken with a fence in front of the bird.

Ecce_Signum

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM

01/18/2005 09:01:47 PM · #4

I'm still learning and ready to be corrected here but was under the impression that 'bokeh' is not simply an out of focus (blurred)area of a picture but the spherical aberration an out of focus point makes? and the 'better'the lens (read more expensive) then the better the bokeh?

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

01/18/2005 09:18:18 PM · #5

Originally posted by Ecce Signum:

Bokeh does refer to the general qualities of the OOF areas, not just to the rendition of point-source highlights. A big part of good bokeh, however is how those highlights are rendered. Interestingly, it does NOT take an expensive lens to have great bokeh. In fact, some older lenses were designed with bokeh in mind. For OOF backgrounds, bokeh seems to improve if the lens is slightly undercorrected for spherical aberration, however foreground bokeh suffers, and vice versa. Since the BG is most often of interest with regard to bokeh, some lenses were built slightly undercorrected.
BTW, the term "spherical aberration" refers to imperfect optical correction, not to the round spots seen as a result of OOF point light sources. For an example of a completely uncorrected lens, lok at the results from the lensbaby. It consists of one element with spherical surfaces, which results in a curved plane of focus. All multi-element lenses attempt to attain a perfectly flat (true plane) of focus, and of course there is no perfect correction. Undercorrection is when a lens does not get rid of all the curvature, and overcorrection is when the curvature goes the other way.

01/18/2005 09:19:43 PM · #6

Originally posted by Ecce Signum:

Well that has certainly been discussed in other threads recently (especially leading up to the BOKEH challenge)! I won't venture a definitive opinion, but there are proponents of both ideas on DPC. My shot today that I am so pleased about does show the effects of one of the mid-priced Canon "L" lenses (300mm f4.0 USM/IS). I wish I had taken this shot in time to enter.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II

01/18/2005 09:27:34 PM · #7

Originally posted by Dim7:

I like taking bird pics, One day I will get a better than $100 lens to do so! LOL

Great shots Dim7, I especially like the last one of the Great Blue Heron in flight. And where did you get the shot of the falcon. (Treading lightly here...) do you know what kind of falcon it is, I don't recognize it.

Dim7

Canon EOS R

01/18/2005 09:28:06 PM · #8

Originally posted by Ecce Signum:

Thanks Ray
It is a lanner falcon native to Africa. This one was raised in captivity but flys amazing demos! It is equipped with a transmitter if it sees another large bird far away it will go after it and take it down and possibly get lost to the falconer.I took the picture this summer at the bird of prey show at Omega Park in Montebello Quebec.
Yes and I have found good glass and taking a shot with light in the background produces this well!

This picture is with Sigma 18-125mm DC,I like this lens.
I don`t really own good glass except canon 50mm f1.8.
Sure is a nice shot Ray, what lens did you use?

Message edited by author 2005-01-18 22:07:41.

Ecce_Signum

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM

01/18/2005 09:33:20 PM · #9

See, I told you I was here to learn ;)
Maybe I'd be best rushing off to read the earlier posts. BTW, its a great shot nova.

Dim7

Canon EOS R

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II

01/18/2005 10:00:02 PM · #10

Originally posted by Ecce Signum:

See, I told you I was here to learn ;)
Maybe I'd be best rushing off to read the earlier posts. BTW, its a great shot nova.

Me too!

Mattel Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera

01/18/2005 10:30:05 PM · #11

Originally posted by Dim7:

Sure is a nice shot Ray, what lens did you use?

Thanks for the complement Neil, sorry to take so long to reply but I had overlooked your question. I was using the Canon 300/f4L. I don't own the 50mm f1.8 that you have. You got great results using that. Since the BOKEH challenge I have been "Windows shopping" and now have my eye on the Canon 85mm f1.2L... some of the sample shots I've seen with it are almost scary! Maybe this summer...

Message edited by author 2005-01-18 22:31:32.

nsbca7

01/18/2005 10:37:42 PM · #12

Originally posted by nova:

I have been "Windows shopping" and now have my eye on the Canon 85mm f1.2L... some of the sample shots I've seen with it are almost scary! Maybe this summer...

Awesome lens and worth every dollar. It is the most used and the most useful lens I own. It rarely leaves the camrera. If you need to see more samples (of course in low res) check my web site. 90% of the pictures on the site, with the exception of the wildlife shots, were shot with that lens. The bokeh shot I entered in the last chalenge was shot with that lens.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS

01/18/2005 10:38:09 PM · #13

Not only do I have a bird photo... I have a picture of a junco taken after the bokeh challenge to practice the technique! Like yours, these are only cropped and resized.

...and one more...

01/18/2005 10:51:28 PM · #14

Originally posted by scalvert:

Not only do I have a bird photo... I have a picture of a junco taken after the bokeh challenge to practice the technique! Like yours...

Hey Shannon, I guess what they say about great minds must be true, eh? Now if I can only emulate your success as a great photographer.... ;0)

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

01/18/2005 10:57:45 PM · #15

Originally posted by nsbca7:

Awesome lens and worth every dollar. It is the most used and the most useful lens I own.

Thanks for the reply, and I'm glad to hear your opinion about that lens. I'm looking over a few samples from your website in the other window... awesome portrait of Daniel, and others as well.

coolhar

01/19/2005 12:31:29 AM · #16

Nova, your junco shots are more than an illustration of bokeh, they are very well done bird images. I like the first version the better of the two. It has more of the texture of the rocks that makes such a nice contrast with the background.

Not much bokeh but here's my latest bird shot.